Cities will reduce violence by 50% by 2030 by shifting from the status quo to investing strategically in prevention that tackles the causes. Globally each year, this will save up to 250 thousand lives, stop 15 million women from rape, and protect half a billion children from violence. It will increase GDP in many countries.
Political leaders committed to significant reductions in violent crime by 2030 as part of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A small but growing group of cities wants to achieve a 50% reduction by 2030.
Solid prevention science identifies actions where violent crime has been reduced by 50% better than the status quo. Some proven actions improved youth engagement, supported parenting, changed male attitudes, mitigated financial stress, and improved the physical environment. Other actions reformed policing by diverting critical incidents to other services, orienting to victims and restorative justice, enforcing alcohol and gun regulations, solving problems in hotspots, and focusing deterrence in partnerships with social agencies. The proposed Safety Monitor Tool on Scientifically Proven Programs will monitor the use of science.
Governments have agreed at the UN to key elements for successful implementation of effective crime prevention. These include a high-level office to plan and spearhead action led by sectors able to tackle causes. Furthermore, the planning must be inspired by science, organized by qualified talent, supported by adequate and sustained funding, and should engage the public. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) require performance indicators and outcomes to be measured, such as proposed in the Safety Monitor Tool on Keys for Successful Implementation.
Cities in the UK, USA, and Latin America have reduced violent crime by 50 percent. More cities are initiating actions, but few will achieve significant reductions without using the keys to successful implementation – with a particular focus on adequate funding.
The case for governments to support actions by cities to reduce violence is compelling both because it reduces victimization and, in high violence countries, increases GDP. Some governments provide support, but that support is not yet proportionate to the potential benefits.
For cities to reduce violence by 50 percent by 2030, they must transform their actions now with financial support from governments and intergovernmental agencies, including:
- Cities must implement actions now inspired by scientifically proven programs (see Safety Monitor Tool 1)
- Cities must use keys to successful implementation to achieve measurable goals (see Safety Monitor Tool 2)
- Governments must support cities with investments proportionate to savings in costs of both victimization and the status quo
- Governments must support professional development so that the human capacity will make the transition to successful implementation of effective violence prevention
- Governments must raise awareness among decision makers and the public of the benefits of reducing victimization significantly and its benefits to peaceful governance and growth in GDP.
See full report http://bit.ly/3ceHq27 and book http://bit.ly/2NujflR
International experts have identified affordable and feasible actions for world leaders now to still achieve significant reductions in violent crme by 2030. See https://bit.ly/3qeDzaA or following blogs in Japanese, French and Spanish.
